iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Peace and Planning post alert: "I firmly believe that we will not be able to tackle our society's most existential threats unless and until we can cultivate care on our streets." Read more on "The Care of Mobility: Toward a Moral Framework for Streets" here: peaceandplanning.com/2026/09/11/o...

peaceandplanning.com

On care

Last week I had the opportunity to share some of my dissertation research at the Royal Geographical Society’s annual conference in London. Given the title of my presentation “The Care o…

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Modal identity: the category along which privilege and priority are distributed in our mobility networks, one that ultimately structures how we relate to each other while navigating our communities. Also a theoretical construct I’ve been developing, read more at peaceandplanning.com/2026/08/28/o...

peaceandplanning.com

On identities

Earlier this week I (finally) had the opportunity to attend the Cycling and Society Symposium, this year hosted in the beautiful city of Lund, Sweden. I was grateful to present modal identity, a co…

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Hard to pick a favorite. I wonder if Helsinki named them the car-free "crown bridges" because they make people walking, rolling, and taking the tram feel like royalty? Meanwhile, Oodi the library's "Citizen's Balcony" was built at the same level across from parliament to symbolize equality.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

given @maustermuhle.bsky.social 's diligent reporting, looks like despite Amtrak delays my train's arrival will win 😫

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

Left White River Junction VT on an Amtrak train at 11:47a and targeting a 10:54p arrival to Union Station, which means I'm currently in a race with the posting of DC primary results (polls have an advantage given a 48-minute Amtrak delay)...which will arrive first?! Let's goooo DC!

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

As a doctoral student in peace & conflict studies I read research on bias against people on bikes. Then I see things like this. I can't help but think "How is it that when people who ride bikes are purposefully targeted with verbal threats or violent actions, it's not characterized as a hate crime?"

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 27/05/2026

The thing about what I call the conflict system of vehicular violence is that it's all around us, all the time. And we are at least bystanders of - if not actors in - that conflict system, both as regular people moving about the world, and as planners shaping communities *and* community engagement.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

An appalling meta example of what I explored in my paper on what I call the conflict system of vehicular violence. Media narratives (cultural violence) justifying automotive assault (direct violence) encouraged by non-existent legal protections and insufficient infrastructure (structural violence).

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

Borrowed a @bunchbike.com from my local BID's lending library to help move my mom three blocks. Many loads of bags and boxes later, we wish we could keep it. We no longer have a neighbor who required car storage renting it, so an added bonus was repurposing our spot for a much better use!

A black, three-wheeled cargo Bunch bike in a (car) storage spot, with two small orange cones in the foreground and a tree-lined street (with many parked cars) in the background.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

It's not often you get an hour (plus!) to talk about the thing that gets you out of bed every morning with someone who asks thoughtful questions about your research. I don't ever take for granted I get to do this work, and am grateful for those like @activetowns.bsky.social who support it.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

It's a fun game to count ideology of car supremacy beliefs/rhetorical devices in coverage like this. This is at least 2 for 3: ✅ Blame inversion (car congestion caused by...not cars?) ✅ Nefarious minority (that bike lobby!) Static scarcity isn't prominent, but my guess is moto monoculture lurks!

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

I wonder how many cities have stakeholder engagement practices that both treat mode use as a distinct identity and within that identity, from an intersectional perspective - or even facilitate sessions to build understanding between drivers and marginalized road users with varied lived experiences.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 23/05/2026

Oh that's a neat idea! I put this on LinkedIn but there's also a bit of a double entendre with NOMS since my research shows how people use their power in civic discourse to nibble away at safe streets infrastructure, making our mobility network a Swiss cheese of accessibility...nom nom nom 🧀

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Reposted by Ashton

Active Towns @activetowns.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

YAY! IT’S PREMIERE DAY: Please tune in today, Friday, May 22nd, at 2 pm Eastern for a fascinating conversation with @ashtonindc.bsky.social about her research on the ideology of car supremacy and on reimagining streets as sites of care and community. youtu.be/Z8AarCS6hHg

youtu.be

Peace and Conflict Resolution meets Car Supremacy

YouTube video by Active Towns

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 22/05/2026

What a privilege to now be part of the @activetowns.bsky.social alumni family 🎙️ 🙏 I so enjoyed talking with John about my research on the ideology of car supremacy and reimagining streets as sites of care and community 🚸 Hope to see you 5/21 at 2p ET on YouTube - I'll be answering questions live! 🤓

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Reposted by Ashton

Bryan Hart @bryanhart.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Join us tomorrow (May 20, 6:30pm, Freedom Plaza) for the Ride of Silence to remember the Allie and the many other cyclists who have been injured or killed doing what we all try to do every day - just get around safely. Details here: ggwash.org/calendar/eve...

Allie assisting me in an ill fated pandemic experiment with tubeless tires.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

@ddotdc.bsky.social if your own equipment doesn't physically allow a pedestrian walk signal to exceed 99 seconds, that's a good sign you shouldn't be allowing it either (20, maybe?). Would you like a copy of my paper on the ideology of car supremacy? B/c this is a great example of moto monoculture!

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Answer: the ped wait time...but it's a bit of a trick question given that this particular light actually had *15 seconds before* it started the countdown from 99. That's a full 114 seconds - nearly *two minutes* - that pedestrians have to wait in 95-degree weather to cross a major intersection.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 19/05/2026

Pop-quiz: what's higher in DC today...the temperature or the amount of time a pedestrian must wait in the sun to cross South Capitol at I St? (and cross only on one side because there isn't a crosswalk on both sides of the intersection 🤔)

At the far end of a crosswalk is a pedestrian walk signal with "99" displaying the number of seconds remaining. Behind the crosswalk to the left is a highway entrance, to the right is an apartment building.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 18/05/2026

If only we had that robust of a booting program...even so, this seems like an area that's ripe for government innovation as we look for opportunities to shift from car-based to e-cargo-bike operations. Like this from the Seattle BID!

A man in high-viz gear bends down to charge an e-cargo bike hauling a barrel and some tanks on a sidewalk strewn with leaves!

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 17/05/2026

While I appreciate the good work of folks who enforce parking laws, curious minds wonder...why is a van necessary?

A white "parking enforcement" van is parked on a tree-lined street behind a dark pick-up truck.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 15/05/2026

I did a thing (w/ a lot of help)! The joy, play, & connection that came from this pop-up traffic garden installation I led last weekend was easily a highlight of my professional career - bucket list item ✅ So grateful for the opportunity to partner w/ the SWBID on this! If only it were permanent...

Kids on scooters and bikes ride around a kid-sized streetscape.

A miniature "stop here for pedestrians" sign planted in a pot of flowers and placed in the middle of a crosswalk.

A miniature traffic circle with a yield sign in the middle, with two children riding scooters in the background and chalk art on the pavement.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 12/05/2026

Was pleasantly surprised to see this while checking in for a doctor's appointment recently...though curious what they'll do with the data? There were no follow-up questions, unfortunately.

Survey question: "Has lack of transportation kept you from medical appointments, meetings, work, for from getting things needed for daily living?"

Options: Yes, it has kept me from medical appointments or from getting my medications.
Yes it has kept me from non-medical meetings, appointments, work, or from getting things I need
No
I choose not to answer this question

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 06/05/2026

I've long admired @keawilson.bsky.social so it was not only a treat to talk w/ her about my new @urbanstudiesjournal.com article on the ideology of car supremacy but humbling for her to write about it so thoughtfully in @usa.streetsblog.org. What do y'all think - is there a better acronym than NOMS?

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

While I fundamentally disagree w/ the notion that the provision of safe infrastructure should be predicated on the # of people who would benefit from it, I would offer to the person quoted above: "au contraire!" Also, @dcpubliclibrary.bsky.social looks like we need more bike/scooter parking at MLK!

Bikes and scooters parked in front of a library with people walking in the background.

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

"For people to think that [...] people are gonna hop on bicycles when it’s 100 degrees in this city, it just shows how lack of common sense is being shown as we look at this whole situation of the bikes [...] and people [...] basically being disenfranchised from the city streets."

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

As I headed to a meeting with the "real feel" temp at 98 degrees today, I was reminded of a testimony I analyzed when developing the ideology of car supremacy framework. The modal marginalization belief is often enacted through a rhetorical device I call the "nefarious minority":

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

This is such a generous thread - thank you! You've pulled exactly the moments I hoped would resonate. Really humbled and grateful for your support 🙏

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 15/04/2026

Thank you for sharing 🙏 Excited to have this work out in the world - happy to answer any questions from readers!

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

This week on the Car Blanche blog, I discuss my experience at TCamp (iykyk)...which was really just an excuse to rant about the value I think we use most uncritically when we talk about transportation: freedom. Read more: peaceandplanning.com/2026/01/13/o...

peaceandplanning.com

On freedom

Coincidentally, I rode past this on my way to TCamp – the last line, “how much freedom should we give up for relationships?” was as good a way as any to sum up my ponderings on th…

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Ashton @ashtonindc.bsky.social · 14/01/2026

Alright, folks...I'm hesitant to be on another platform but trying out Bluesky because I've heard there are some cool kids who hang out here. Will mostly be sharing blog posts (would love your thoughts!) and looking forward to connecting with like-hearted urbanists. May the experiment begin!

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Reposted by Ashton

DC Families for Safe Streets @safestreetsdc.bsky.social · 26/09/2023

“A vehicle could fail the pedestrian crash-worthiness test and still receive 5 stars,” he said. A voluntary evaluation isn’t enough for Jessica Hart, whose 5-year-old daughter Allie was struck and killed in 2021. Her petition on Change.org has collected more than 28,000 signatures.

apnews.com

New cars are supposed to be getting safer. So why are fatalities on the rise?

Government test data shows new passenger vehicles in the U.S. are extremely safe, but roadway deaths are steadily rising.

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